Helensburgh 10K Race Report

Post date: May 21, 2018 9:05:24 PM

By Ewan Smith

Helensburgh was the first 10K I ever ran and it was also my first race in a CRC vest 4 years ago. This year, I had pencilled it in for yet

another attempt at getting back to sub 40. However, while Stuart has been making encouraging predictions all winter and though I knew it was theoretically possible, I wasn't particularly convinced that it would actually happen and on a fast course in good conditions I reflected that I would be all out of excuses this time.

My Garmin, had gone off to Garminland for repair but fortunately the Big Fla stepped in with a dainty little replacement with a fetching pink strap. It belonged to Mairi - or so he said. But a Garmin is a Garmin and I'm not proud though I did start to wonder how I've got to a stage where I can't run without something to tell me how I'm doing.T he official CRC contingent, Elaine, Stuart and I were met at the start line by Garry Muir who had spotted the signs for a 10k and decided to run it. As you do, when you're half way through a set of mile repeats.

The dainty wee pink Garmin and I set off not having had much time to get acquainted though it was doing a good job of telling me how many calories I was burning. My usual running strategy is to hing in behind Jennifer Martin for as long as possible before she disappears into the distance and I decided to adapt that by sticking in behind a couple of Dumbarton lassies who I knew had tanked me in the past. But after a couple of K it just felt too slow and I decided to pass them, wondering though if I would later regret upping the pace at this stage.

By the 5k mark the dainty wee pink Garmin and I were getting on like a house on fire and for the first time I thought sub 40 might be actually be possible if I didn't flag. By 7K I knew I was in with a good shout as long as I didn't blow up. In retrospect, the result of that thought was that I sat back and settled for not blowing it rather than pushing on as I now wish I had.

The Helensburgh race always has a sign at 400m but always seems much longer. And I ran along that section doing sums in my head, regretting slackening off earlier and with a mental picture of the gantry clock reading 40:01. However in the end I had done just enough and 39:25 is a pb. Stuart and Garry had been at the finish for ages. Garry had finished in 35:42 a cracking time for anyone, never mind someone who has done mile repeats by way of a warm up. Performance of the night however goes to Stuart who finished 7th overall in 34:02. Given the quality of some of the runners that is an amazing achievement. Elaine who had told

me before the start that she wasn't expecting much nonetheless finished in a very respectable 47:14.

And for anyone looking for a pb, I recommend asking for a shot of dainty wee pink Garmin.